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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23866141">A Sweeter Place</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/uravitytae/pseuds/princesserenity96'>princesserenity96 (uravitytae)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Fluff and Smut, Declarations Of Love, Dorks in Love, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, High School, Love at First Sight, Meet-Cute, Military Background, Military Backstory, Original Character(s), Slow Burn, Third Year Nishinoya Yuu, air force brat, bad at feelings, military brat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:07:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23866141</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/uravitytae/pseuds/princesserenity96</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriella Lu Maldonado-Fujikawa grew up around the world. Being a military brat has its ups and downs, but it doesn't help when you move to a completely different country when you finally established yourself. </p>
<p>Now Gabriella has to figure out her new plan, all the while trying to attend a new high school, and establish herself as a libero once more.</p>
<p>But when Karasuno High School's Volleyball Men's Team's libero spots you...what do you do?</p>
<p>Focus on your love of the game or focus on the boy with spiky black hair with a little blonde in the front?</p>
<p>Could there be any sweeter place than his arms?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Nishinoya Yuu &amp; Original Character(s), Nishinoya Yuu/Original Character(s), Nishinoya Yuu/Original Female Character(s), Nishinoya Yuu/oc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Orders.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabriella Lu Maldonado-Fujikawa didn’t ask for much. Growing up as a military brat, she really never stepped out of line, was always polite (it was always standard to say ma’am, sir, mr., ms.), and respected her parents and never was greedy or complained. Especially when her father received orders to move to different parts of the world. </p>
<p>She was born in Kaiserslautern, Germany on the military base. Then when she was only six, her dad got stationed in the united states in multiple different cities and bases. She went from Arizona (satan’s asshole hot), to Colorado (pretty mountains), to Texas (sweaty hot), to finally California, where she spent from 8th grade to 10th grade, growing through puberty and finally establishing a ground of friends she could finally be comfortable letting her guard down with. </p>
<p>Until that fateful day. </p>
<p>It was towards the end of the school year, she was ready to be done and over with her classes. AP Physics was kicking her ass, and she was ready to pull her hair out with her Japanese final. Her mother pushed her to take that as her language credit, since her mother is half-Japanese, half-American, but her father is half-Puerto Rican, half-American, so she could have easily taken spanish, but Gabriella was a people-pleaser, especially for her mother, so she was practicing her Hiragana, when her mother knocked her door. </p>
<p>She lowered her volume, “Come in,” and not only was it her mother, but her father as well. Gabriella was perplexed, but she just smiled, “What’s up?”</p>
<p>“Honey, out of all the places we’ve lived, what has been your favorite?” </p>
<p>“Here of course, all my friends are here, my team is here, and the beach is my backyard. I really couldn’t ask for more.” Her parents looked at each other with concern and Gabriella sighed, “We’re moving, aren’t we.”</p>
<p>“Yes.” her father quipped. “But, it’s not a bad relocation. You’ll actually love it.”</p>
<p>“Will I? Dad, I’m a sophomore, do you understand how hard it’s going to be? How I’ll probably be a loser, with no friends? How I have to provide myself to a new team, with a new captain, and a new court? Will I love it?” Gabi fired back, making her parents quiet, for it’s the first time their daughter ever spoke this way.</p>
<p>Her father sat down next to her on the bed, he rested his chin on top of her head, and sighed. “Listen, it’s going to be hard. It always is. But social media exists now, you’ll be able to keep in touch with your friends, and be able to be a part of their lives still. It’s not the end of the world. Just a new chapter. Misawa will be wonderful. I have a feeling that this place is going to change your outlook on everything.”<br/>
</p>
<p> Little did anyone know that this next chapter of Gabriella’s life would become the rest of her story.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Schools.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Maldonado-Fujikawa household landed in Japan with a plan. Gabriella’s mom’s side was pretty well off. They were scattered across the country of Japan doing different things. Gabriella’s aunt was an attorney in Tokyo, her uncle went to Kyoto Seika University and studied Manga art, and her grandma lived in Miyagi, near the capital of Sendai. Once her sobo found out that her daughter was returning home, she insisted that she lived closer to her, and helped her, since the other two were off doing “god knows what”. Gabriella’s mother was a nurse on Ramstein Air Base when she met Gabi’s dad, so nurturing and taking care of others was always on her mother’s mindset. </p>
<p>The only problem was, the base her father was stationed on was about three and a half hours away from her grandma. So they came up with the plan that Gabriella would stay with her grandma, while her father and mother would stay in a small place on base, and visit every weekend. It was a solid plan. Until Gabriella wanted to pull her hair out. </p>
<p>She loved her grandma, or sobo, she really did. But the woman challenged her, pushed her, and it was exhausting. Her english wasn’t great, and neither was Gabriella’s japanese but she did understand a little bit more of her language, so the barrier wasn’t that bad. It was more of the crazy, silly tasks she asked her to do. Go to the recycling plant, bring home fresh fish, go to the park every saturday to feed the ducks, and put on her kimono to visit their family shrine to give thanks for being alive and in good health. It was a pattern that she got used to until the end of July. </p>
<p>She always went to schools on bases, but Gabriella’s parents decided to apply for their daughter to attend school closer to her sobo. </p>
<p>“Karasuno High?” Gabriella squinted, passing the building . “How close is this to you sobo?” </p>
<p>“It’s not too far, you can ride a bike, and back in about fifteen minutes? It’s about a 30 minute walk though” her grandmother smiled, “I remember the days when I went there, and went to all the matches. Especially the volleyball ones.”</p>
<p>Gabriella’s ear perked and her eye’s sparkled. “Is their team any good? How are the girls? Are they nice?” </p>
<p>Her grandma shrugged. “I haven’t been in years, mago,” Gabriella slumped, and they continued their journey home from the shrine. “I did hear their boys team this year was exceptionally well, their first years are a combo that cannot be matched.”</p>
<p>Gabriella stares at the building, as they walk past the gymnasium. She hears shoes squeaking against the ground, hands contacting the ball, and a beautiful noise that sounded like the person succeeded in whatever move they were attempting. </p>
<p>She missed it, and it made her heart ache. </p>
<p>She was a strong player back in her school in America. Actually, she was the strongest player on their JV team. “The setter is the quarterback, but the libero should be the second best player. That's how you win matches.” It was the best quote she ever heard when learning to play the game. And from that day forward, she vowed to become the best libero in her region. </p>
<p>“Heads up! Look out!” someone shouted from the distance. Gabriella perked her head up to the sky wondering if something was falling or falling towards her. </p>
<p>A volleyball swirling towards her sobo. She had to react quickly, but for her, it was like time slowed down. She studied the motion of the ball, the movements of her grandma, and the velocity it was coming towards her. She placed her arm across her grandmother’s chest to prevent her from moving any further, and just in that moment, the ball made impact with her forearm, causing it to go high into the sky. </p>
<p>The shouting-person, stayed silent for a moment, and just stared in awe of what just happened.<br/>
<i> Such quick reaction time. And the control...who is she?</i> </p>
<p>Gabriella caught the ball once it came back down. She set it back, “Here you go!” She didn’t realize she set it to a boy who was just staring at her, and she blushed. <i> Crap it was the boys’ team.</i> </p>
<p>“Gabriella! You’re in formal clothes! You shouldn’t have done that! Apologize to this young man for being so unlady-like!” Her sobo was still her sobo. No matter if she just saved her from a hospital trip.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” Gabriella bowed towards him, feeling heat creep to her face, ready to die. </p>
<p>“You’re ok! It was us! Thank you!” He shouted. Before he could get another word in, his teammates shouted from inside the gym and she scurried away with an old lady. He went inside, feeling flustered and slightly confused. </p>
<p>“What took so long? What happened out there, Nishinoya?” Hinata questioned. </p>
<p>“I have no idea.” Nishinoya shrugged, and tossed the ball back to the team.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. First Day.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabriella was nervous to say the least. First days were always the worst for her. She always had the worst lucky--getting lost in buildings, being late, causing fire alarms to trip--you name it. Today was a little bit worse because she was going to a school not on base, so the chances of her making friends are second to none. </p>
<p>The school system is different for Japan, but after testing and talking with her parents, she managed to hop right in the middle of their second year, which would be her junior year. She was thankful for being able to jump ahead instead of retaking a year, but what do expect from an honors student? She always managed to better herself and her education. Her Japanese was well enough to the point they let her in. But the downside was missing already so much time playing, and now she’s got a shorter period of time to prove herself in this school in order to get into a US college for Volleyball. She was already promised a varsity spot and the co-captain spot back at her old school her junior year, and now what does she have to work for? She sighed. She was having a hard time adjusting, with school uniforms, with her classes, all of it. She was wondering if her parents would let her move in with them on base and go back to a semi-normal life. But she wouldn’t leave her sobo alone, after already learning so much about her Japanese heritage and there was so much more to study. </p>
<p>So she sucked it up, and went to the girl’s gym in the afternoon. She was surprised to only see four girls, three of them practicing, and one of them on her phone. She sighed, and took a step in the gym. “Hello” Gabriella choked, and they all turned their head in her direction. </p>
<p>“Hi! Are you lost?” one of the girls smiled kindly, making Gabriella warm. </p>
<p>“I don’t think so, I’m looking for the girls Volleyball team?” </p>
<p>“Oh, you’re that new girl from America.” The one on her phone stated, slightly snarky, but Gabriella shrugged it off. </p>
<p>“Yes, that’s me. I’m Gabriella, but you can just call me Gabi.” </p>
<p>“Oh! Hi there Gabi! My name is Yui Michimiya, but Yui is fine!” She waved, and got closer to Gabriella. She felt at home with her, like she was giving big sister vibes. “The one with the black bob is Kina Chiba, the blonde is Akko Hori, and the one on her phone all the time is Haru Yamaoka.” Haru rolled her eyes and snorted, but it got her up from the floor and greet Gabriella. </p>
<p>“So what are you doing here, Gabriella?” Haru stated, already giving her a hard time for no reason. </p>
<p>“I want to try out for your guys’ team!” Gabriella looked hopeful, and so did all the other girls, except for Haru. <br/>“That’s wonderful!” Yui exploded, making Gabi jump. “What position do you play?” </p>
<p>“I've been a libero since I was fourteen.” Gabriella was proud of her position, and would never trade it for the world. </p>
<p>“Well let’s see what you got.” Haru shot back, and Gabi stammered. “What?” “You heard me, let’s see if you have what it takes to be a part of the team.” </p>
<p>Gabriella looked to Yui for gudances, and she just sighed. “We do need to see if you are capable of playing, I just wish Haru would tune her attitude down.”<i> So they do notice it. </i></p>
<p>“That’s fine, let me just change!” Gabriella ran to the dressing room.</p>
<p>“Are you sure this is a good idea, Yui?” Akko whispered. “She’s from the U.S. she might not understand how much volleyball means here to some.” </p>
<p>“Trust me, Akko, I have a feeling Gabi is just what we need.” Yui confidently spoke of her, as she walked out in her gym uniform and knee pads. </p>
<p>“You ready?”<br/>“Always.” </p>
<p>---------------------------------------------</p>
<p>After an intense two-on-two between Yui &amp; Gabi versus Akko &amp; Haru, it was immediately decided that she was on the team as their libero. </p>
<p>They all decided to celebrate her as a member and treated her to dango. Gabriella got excited to get into more sweets and delicacies of Japan, she was truly a foodie of many cultures. </p>
<p>They all laughed and got to know each other more, and she got to understand a little bit more of the team and the history. Michimiya was a respected team captain, but  wasn't able to stop her players from skipping practice. So they really were just nothing, nobodies. Compared to her schools in the United States, Gabriella knew if she were to go up against this team, she would destroy them in a heartbeat, and be ruthless about it. </p>
<p>She thanked them for the snack, and walked home. She was being to think about her time and what she would be able to bring to the table for the team. </p>
<p>As she was lost in thought, a boy with black hair and a stripe of blonde in the front, was riding his bike home and spotted her from afar. </p>
<p>
  <i> The girl with the kimino...she’s wearing a Karasuno uniform...does she go to our school?!</i>
</p>
<p>And suddenly his bike met with a curb, leading him to fly forward into the ground.</p>
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